Hard to bet against Boonen or Sagan, given the form they've shown the past 3 weeks. Somehow, I'll have to make room for Cancellera when they get up north. Or Gilbert if he starts to show signs of life. So do we have a league? Or just compare notes here?
Here's my classics team as of this PM ("Young Turks" from Anatolia): Boonen, Sagan, Boassen-Hagen, Bennati, Gerrans, Degenkolb, Gustav Eric Larsen, Gatto, Tankink, Terpstra, Txurruka, and somebody named Manuel Quniziato who was the only 4 point BMC rider I found.
I just threw the team together but let's get the league fired up for the hell of the north. I'm wondering if Gilbert isn't sandbagging- he should be very very rested. Sagan looks so good, but I'm wondering if he'll be fresh off of TA.
I loaded up as best I could with favorites and just pointed and clicked for my 4 pointers. Not much there. I like your Bennati and Gerrans picks.
What Gerrans said right after was interesting: "I tried to take a turn pulling, but when he went back around me I could barely get back on his wheel". The sub text being, I'll be darned if I try that again!
Poor Fabian. (Seriously) Being the only guy who can actually pull away from and stay away from the entire peloton in the last 5 K of a (flat) race, the only way he could realistically hope to win is to follow a climber up the last hill, then either lose him on the downhill, or pull away on the final flat. Gerrans was very, very smart AND very very strong (a) he knew Cancellara would take off after Nibali (b) he was alert and quick enough to get on his wheel, (c) he managed to stay on his wheel on the twisty downhill - no mean feat in itself. Those two moves were what set him up. Then, (d) he had to time his jump perfectly. Too soon, Cancellara recatches him, too late, not enough time to get by.
Just a wonderful last 8k. I was watching with my son-in-law, who knows nothing about bike racing. I was explaining to him the unfolding strategy, and it played out just as I told him it would - thank you, Simon. BTW, on my fantasy team, I managed to get 5 guys in the top 15, including 1, 4, and 5. Peter Sagan and John Degenkolb won the field sprint, those guys are just begining a career at the top, Degenkolb as a sprinter, and Sagan as a guy who just knows how to win bike races.
Gerrans rode a great race and deserved to win,as did Nibali, for simply staying with Cancellara. Think of who did not- Sagan, Boonen, Friere.....okay, Sagan wasn't going to chase Nibali. After TA they would have hung him. Ironically, Cancellara was the strongest, "caused" the opportunity for the win, yet in probably the worst position of all to actually get the win.
NB to Fred Velo - I don't know if you want to mess with me in the fantasy league this year. I seem to have some serious mojo going on. I switched out Boonen for Chavanel, and already had Niki Terpstra on my squad. They go 1-2 today, with Terpstra leading the last 40-50 km and his teammate Chavanel sitting in on a following break, saving gas for the finish. I've still got 20 transfers in the bag for upcoming races. The sprinters have been shut out.
Everyone pass doping controls no problem? Nicely played, sir. Fred will be fine. Placed quite well in MSR so rounding into form. Its early. We're pleased that the rolleurs are scoring well. We will stick with Tom Tornado for Roubaix.
Fred was asleep at the wheel and didn't ready a team for yeterday's race. Having not read the manual, I didn't realize my team was entered at all. Getting a team together for the next race.
Fred put Tommeke back on the squad for Flanders. He's amazing. After Quatar I thought he was in good form and hoping he was back but Wow....and then some! Sagan is an animal. What a rider. Drops his group on 20% and chases Boonen's trio. Ballsy.
I had Ballan but I think I dropped him. Have to check. Fred being Fred.
Al, last I checked the Turks were 13th? in the world? Kudos!
I won't be able to see this "live" this Sunday, will have to wait a few hours to get home from my 3-day cycling 'camp' @ ;Easter Hill Country Tour in TX Hill Country...
The cobbles aren't the same without Fabian. Like they say about LA in an Ironman - he changes the dynamics of the race. The race turns from one of strength to one of tactics and smarts - knowing just which move to follow and when to make your own. You can just see Sagan learning every time he races - he's going to win one (and then more) of these spring classics soon, if not this year, then next. Boonen's *got* to be getting tired, and Gilbert has *got* to be getting hungry.
Not a single mention of Paris-Roubaix yet? I just finished watching my recording and LOVED it! True, like Al said, it's not the same without Fabian - and we'll never be able to know the "what ifs" - but a great, gutsy victory for Tom "party boy" boonen!!!
Yeah, Boonen has been looking scary good all year, from a race down in South America, thru the races in the Middle East, and just decimating everyone in the North Country classics. He's having the year Gilbert did last year. But I guess it's over for him now when the courses get hillier? Can he possibly challenge for the Olympics against the UK team?
Watching him add on the seconds pulling away from Flecha and Ballan ... he was clearly a man on a mission. It would be interesting to hear him talk about his motivation, out there all by himself for over an hour. In some ways it is harder to be the hunted than the hunter.
But ... being at the top of his form for three months running. Should we be worried about PEDs? How could he hide it if he wins every race and is thus peeing in a cup twice a week?
He's had a amazing luck staying out of trouble this season. No crashes, no mechanicals. Bet he got into some trouble that night though!
Attacking with 55K seemed like a suicide mission and I'm guessing all teams thought they'd bring him back. Which I guess makes it even more impressive.
I think he expected to get caught and just wanted to throw some punches at the field and was surprised when he got away and so threw it down a la Spartacus.
It's interesting how the luck goes. Boonen crashed out left and right over the last couple of years. Now he can do no wrong while Gilbert gets sick and stuck in crashes. On the other hand, Boonen got stuck behind a crash in the TA where he says he had the legs to go w Cancellara.
Would have been cool to see Cancellara get away with him in Roubaix and see who is who.
Comments
No Cav. Had to trade Bossen Hagan.
Hard to bet against Boonen or Sagan, given the form they've shown the past 3 weeks. Somehow, I'll have to make room for Cancellera when they get up north. Or Gilbert if he starts to show signs of life. So do we have a league? Or just compare notes here?
Here's my classics team as of this PM ("Young Turks" from Anatolia): Boonen, Sagan, Boassen-Hagen, Bennati, Gerrans, Degenkolb, Gustav Eric Larsen, Gatto, Tankink, Terpstra, Txurruka, and somebody named Manuel Quniziato who was the only 4 point BMC rider I found.
I loaded up as best I could with favorites and just pointed and clicked for my 4 pointers. Not much there. I like your Bennati and Gerrans picks.
What Gerrans said right after was interesting: "I tried to take a turn pulling, but when he went back around me I could barely get back on his wheel". The sub text being, I'll be darned if I try that again!
Poor Fabian. (Seriously) Being the only guy who can actually pull away from and stay away from the entire peloton in the last 5 K of a (flat) race, the only way he could realistically hope to win is to follow a climber up the last hill, then either lose him on the downhill, or pull away on the final flat. Gerrans was very, very smart AND very very strong (a) he knew Cancellara would take off after Nibali (b) he was alert and quick enough to get on his wheel, (c) he managed to stay on his wheel on the twisty downhill - no mean feat in itself. Those two moves were what set him up. Then, (d) he had to time his jump perfectly. Too soon, Cancellara recatches him, too late, not enough time to get by.
Just a wonderful last 8k. I was watching with my son-in-law, who knows nothing about bike racing. I was explaining to him the unfolding strategy, and it played out just as I told him it would - thank you, Simon. BTW, on my fantasy team, I managed to get 5 guys in the top 15, including 1, 4, and 5. Peter Sagan and John Degenkolb won the field sprint, those guys are just begining a career at the top, Degenkolb as a sprinter, and Sagan as a guy who just knows how to win bike races.
NB to Fred Velo - I don't know if you want to mess with me in the fantasy league this year. I seem to have some serious mojo going on. I switched out Boonen for Chavanel, and already had Niki Terpstra on my squad. They go 1-2 today, with Terpstra leading the last 40-50 km and his teammate Chavanel sitting in on a following break, saving gas for the finish. I've still got 20 transfers in the bag for upcoming races. The sprinters have been shut out.
Nicely played, sir.
Fred will be fine. Placed quite well in MSR so rounding into form. Its early. We're pleased that the rolleurs are scoring well. We will stick with Tom Tornado for Roubaix.
Fred is an idiot.
Sagan is an animal. What a rider. Drops his group on 20% and chases Boonen's trio. Ballsy.
I had Ballan but I think I dropped him. Have to check. Fred being Fred.
Al, last I checked the Turks were 13th? in the world? Kudos!
Great finish at Flanders! Go Tommeke!
Poor Fabian tho, busted all up.
I won't be able to see this "live" this Sunday, will have to wait a few hours to get home from my 3-day cycling 'camp' @ ;Easter Hill Country Tour in TX Hill Country...
sunday...SUNday...SUNDAY!!! Paris-Roubaix!!!
www.youtube.com/watch
The cobbles aren't the same without Fabian. Like they say about LA in an Ironman - he changes the dynamics of the race. The race turns from one of strength to one of tactics and smarts - knowing just which move to follow and when to make your own. You can just see Sagan learning every time he races - he's going to win one (and then more) of these spring classics soon, if not this year, then next. Boonen's *got* to be getting tired, and Gilbert has *got* to be getting hungry.
Yeah, Boonen has been looking scary good all year, from a race down in South America, thru the races in the Middle East, and just decimating everyone in the North Country classics. He's having the year Gilbert did last year. But I guess it's over for him now when the courses get hillier? Can he possibly challenge for the Olympics against the UK team?
Watching him add on the seconds pulling away from Flecha and Ballan ... he was clearly a man on a mission. It would be interesting to hear him talk about his motivation, out there all by himself for over an hour. In some ways it is harder to be the hunted than the hunter.
But ... being at the top of his form for three months running. Should we be worried about PEDs? How could he hide it if he wins every race and is thus peeing in a cup twice a week?
Attacking with 55K seemed like a suicide mission and I'm guessing all teams thought they'd bring him back. Which I guess makes it even more impressive.
It's interesting how the luck goes. Boonen crashed out left and right over the last couple of years. Now he can do no wrong while Gilbert gets sick and stuck in crashes. On the other hand, Boonen got stuck behind a crash in the TA where he says he had the legs to go w Cancellara.
Would have been cool to see Cancellara get away with him in Roubaix and see who is who.
Sagan is a well rested and vicious animal now.